Former Grade 10 Belmont student, Dorrian Wright, passed away Sunday. His best friend wants him to be remembered as an energetic, fun-loving person who would help anybody who needed it. (Photo courtesy of Kurtis Newell)

B.C. Grade 10 student who died of suspected overdose remembered

Best friend says Dorrian Wright of Greater Victoria was not a drug addict

Earlier this year, Newell moved out of the foster house he shared with Wright and moved back in with his mom. The two were still inseparable, and Wright would go to Newell’s house to hang out or spend the night.

Newell said Wright even helped him get over a drug problem — Newell used to be a “downtown kid,” with a severe addiction to meth and crack.

“If it wasn’t for Dorrian, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.” he said. “He helped me so much, he came downtown with my brother, picked me up and took me back to Langford.”

For three weeks, while Newell was going through withdrawals, Wright never left his side, noting it’s hard to think about how much Wright helped him at that time. Newell said if he felt triggered to relapse, he would talk to Wright, and Wright was always there.

Newell said he feels as though he could have prevented Wright’s passing or that he should have protected him.

“I feel like if I was there, then he’d still be there today,” Newell said, adding he lived just a few doors down from where Wright is believed to have died.